


The Lamb Should Never Lie Down With the Lion

by Kahtya Sofia (KahtyaSofia)



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: 4_a_star, Backstory, M/M, One Shot, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-28
Updated: 2011-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-28 08:35:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/305958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KahtyaSofia/pseuds/Kahtya%20Sofia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Duke comes back to Haven. Nathan has mixed emotions about this. They try to reconnect with a day of fishing but Trouble is brewing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lamb Should Never Lie Down With the Lion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elynross](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elynross/gifts).



> Written for elynross for her donation at 4_a_star. Thank you!
> 
> Unbeta'd, all errors my own.
> 
> This is the story behind the dry facts Nathan gives to Audrey in S02E12.

[   
](http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/kahtyasofia/Haven/?action=view&current=StoryGraphic.jpg)

 

Nathan didn’t want to believe it. After the last time, he’d thought there was no way Duke would ever show his face in Haven again. Still, there it was; the _Cape Rouge,_ that unsightly barge Duke called home.

No matter what Duke claimed, Nathan knew he did more on that boat than sleep.

The images that immediately flooded his mind were not what he’d meant to think about, so Nathan shoved them down and away.

His stride faltered when a tall figure appeared on deck. The dark hair that flopped over his forehead and into his eyes would have, at one time, made Nathan’s heart beat a little faster, but not anymore. Too much time had passed. Too many things had changed.

“Hey, Crocker,” Nathan called out. He watched Duke suppress a startle. “Didn’t think I’d ever see you around here again.”

To Nathan’s surprise, Duke’s face lit up when he turned and saw him.

“Nate!” Duke called, bounding up the stairs to the dock. “I was gonna come find you to say ‘hi’.”

Nathan told himself that was hard to believe. “What brings you back?”

Duke came to stand in front of him, just inches away. “A few business opportunities.”

He could barely hear over the rush of his own blood in his ears. Nathan resisted the urge to swallow. “Uh huh.”

Duke had the audacity to appear injured. “Seriously. I have legitimate business concerns.”

Nathan reminded himself that he needed to remain wary. “And I have legitimate legal concerns about your businesses.”

“You know, I have a gift for you. I was gonna bring it to you. Now, I don’t think you deserve it.”

“I don’t want you smuggling anything into Haven just for me.” He shouldn’t be pleased at Duke’s words.

“I didn’t smuggle anything!” Duke’s expression grew humorous, almost playful. “It was a legitimate purchase. Look, if you don’t want it, fine …”

Nathan couldn’t help but respond to the playfulness. “How do I know if I want it or not if I don’t know what it is?”

“Follow me.”

Without waiting to see if Nathan was complying, Duke turned and headed down into the depths of the boat. Nathan did follow; slowly, reluctantly. He was not feeling anticipation.

When he finally caught up to Duke, Nathan found him rummaging around in boxes and cupboards, muttering to himself.

“Ha! Found it,” Duke declared, holding a small jar aloft in triumph.

Nathan took the jar when Duke offered it. He held it carefully and examined it closely. When he tilted it, the clear, viscous liquid inside shifted. “What is it?” he asked dubiously.

“Scented oil,” Duke declared in a manner befitting someone who had just discovered and named a new form of life.

“Okay.” He swallowed hard. Leave it to Duke to figure out that Nathan’s fondness for texture and scent hadn’t left when his Trouble had.

“I picked it up on a little island in the Pacific,” Duke gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “You don’t need to know which one. It’s an unusual mix of scents.”

“Is that right?” It intrigued, and pleased, him that Duke had put so much thought into a gift for him.

“Yeah. Lime, mandarin, myrrh, sage and French basil. I thought you might appreciate something different. Unusual.”

And just like that, Nathan was in danger of succumbing to Duke’s charm, no matter what promise he’d made to himself. “Yeah. Is this some sort of trick bottle? Or is this really going to be one of the worst things I’ve ever smelled?”

Duke frowned. “Come on, we were kids! Are you ever gonna let that go?”

“Probably not.”

“So, try it.” Duke pointed at the small jar.

Nathan pried out the cork and took an experimental sniff. It took him by surprise. The scent was both fruity and spicy. It was strong but not overpowering. Nathan inhaled more deeply and found he liked it.

“Thank you, Duke,” he said carefully.

“See, I told you you’d like it.” Duke’s grin was wide and idiotic. It hit Nathan low in the gut.

“And I said thank you.”

“So, let’s have a drink,” Duke declared, reaching for two questionably clean glasses and a decanter of dark liquid.

“No.” Drinking with Duke was always dangerous ground.

“Why not? Are you on duty?” Duke looked disappointed.

Nathan was annoyed that Duke’s disappointment bothered him. “No …”

“Then you can have _one_ drink.” Duke sloshed a generous amount of liquid into both glasses. Nathan reluctantly took the one he was handed. “To old friends reconnecting.”

Nathan snorted into his glass.

“What’s so funny about that?” Duke asked as he swallowed.

Nathan pondered the drink in his hand. It was rich and smoky but very, very smooth. He’d never tasted anything like it. He wondered vaguely if it was even legally obtained.

“You and I haven’t been friends for a very long time,” Nathan finally answered.

“Just because we’ve had our differences, that doesn’t mean we aren’t friends.”

“We had our differences?” Nathan was incredulous. “Duke, you’re a liar, a thief and a smuggler.”

“I keep telling you, I’m a businessman.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Nathan tossed back the last of his drink and set the glass down. Warmth was spreading through him. He was beginning to feel light headed. He wondered what proof that liquor was.

“Come on, Nathan, don’t be like that.” Duke looked genuinely sad.

Nathan sighed. There _was_ a part of him that felt just a little more alive in Duke’s company. “Can you promise me you’ll stay out of trouble while you’re here?”

Duke’s expression grew momentarily serious. “This is Haven. About the only thing I can promise is that I won’t _cause_ the trouble.”

Nathan had to look away so he glanced down at his hand. He made a fist, digging his blunt nails into his own palm. He focused on the stinging pain rather than his racing heart. “I can accept that.”

Duke punched Nathan’s arm but there was no power behind it. It almost felt affectionate.

 “So, how’s the Chief?” Duke refilled both of their glasses.

Nathan tried to wave off the drink, his head already buzzing. “He’s the Chief. He’s the same as he’s ever been.”

Duke pushed the glass into Nathan’s hand. “Meaning, you still don’t measure up and he’s always right about everything, even when he’s not.”

Anger flared hotly in Nathan’s chest. “And your father was such a stellar role model and member of the community.”

Duke’s expression hardened. Nathan squared his shoulders, ready for the argument.

It never came.

Duke exhaled harshly, his expression contemplative. “Why do we always do this?”

Nathan relaxed slightly. They always did this because Duke was a dishonest parasite. This time, something stopped him from saying the words he’d said a dozen times before. “Any ideas of what we might try differently?”

Duke took a step backward, his face showing surprise. He regarded Nathan for several long moments, like he was weighing his options. “Come fishing with me.”

“What?”

“Come fishing with me. Let’s load the boat up with food and beer, I’ve got all the rods and lures we need. Let’s go fishing. Just two friends spending the day on the open ocean.” Duke’s expression held hope and delight.

It was a bad idea. Duke had to have an ulterior motive; he always did. At the very least, as a cop, Nathan shouldn’t be spending his personal time with a known criminal. “My next day off isn’t until Tuesday.”

“That’s fine. That’s great!” Duke said with a self-conscious laugh.

Something pleasurable blossomed in Nathan’s belly and slowly spread through his body. He took a long drink from the glass in his hand. The liquor tasted stronger and spicier. Nathan swallowed hard and it left him gasping.

“Take it easy, there,” Duke chuckled, stepping close again.

Nathan froze as he watched Duke run a hand along his shoulders. It was meant to sooth and was a gesture so unlike the two of them. His body tensed, his mind screamed for him to move away, even as he leaned into Duke.

He took a deep breath. Nathan’s heart slammed against his ribs as he forced himself to meet Duke’s eyes. They were a deep, liquid brown and looked at Nathan hungrily. That look, and the warmth of Duke’s body so close by, were so familiar.

Duke leaned in at the same time Nathan did. Their mouths met with such force Nathan heard the clack of their teeth. He fisted his hands in Duke’s shirt and pulled him in close. Pushing into Duke’s mouth, Nathan found Duke’s tongue waiting for him.

He tasted the same. Duke tasted the same as Nathan remembered but this time there was also a hint of the liquor they’d drunk. Nathan’s chest heaved with each breath as their lips slid wetly against each other. It was awkward and messy and he needed more. It was frightening how easily they always feel back into this, and how comfortable it felt each time they did.

Sensing he was falling, Nathan took a step back until he could go no further. Duke had pushed him backward, using his body to pin Nathan to the shelf behind him. It felt good to push his hips against Duke’s and rub against him. 

“Let go, Nathan,” Duke said, voice harsh and breathless. That was Duke’s mantra; always encourage Nathan to just give everything to him.

Nathan released Duke’s shirt and watched eagerly as Duke took it off and tossed it aside. Nathan breathed heavily through his mouth as he ran his eyes over the defined muscles of Duke’s shoulders, his arms, his chest and his belly. He ran a hand down Duke’s chest, dragging his thumbnail over a nipple.

Duke sucked a harsh breath in through his teeth and chuckled.

Pressing his nails to Duke’s right shoulder, Nathan dragged them down over the tattoo that colored the flesh there. He watched four red lines rise and darken. Nathan lifted Duke’s left arm and bit down hard on the tender skin under his arm that sported another tattoo.

“Owe, fuck,” Duke growled but didn’t pull away from Nathan’s teeth.

Nathan skimmed his palm over the sharp cuts of Duke’s stomach, feeling the hot and satiny skin. Duke’s muscles flexed and contracted, rippling beneath his skin. His chest heaved with each deep breath, each exhalation a sigh or a moan.

Nathan wrapped his arms around Duke’s chest and pulled their bodies together. Duke’s arms came around Nathan, holding him, firm and strong. Nathan pressed his face to the join of Duke’s neck and shoulder and inhaled. Nathan could smell musky, masculine skin and sweat. There were hints of cologne, as well as the ocean. He bit down on the tendon straining beneath his lips.

“Fuck, Nathan … like that … harder …” Duke rasped. He pressed Nathan tighter to him with a hand at the back of his head, the other skimming down his spine.

Nathan bit harder. He soothed Duke’s skin with a swipe of his tongue. Duke’s breathing was ragged and he grunted each time Nathan sank his teeth into his neck or shoulder. Nathan tasted the salt and musk of Duke’s skin. He bit at Duke’s collarbone and soothed it with his tongue. Duke moaned right against Nathan’s ear. Nathan shivered when Duke’s tongue traced along the shell of his ear.

Lowering his head, Nathan took Duke’s nipple into his mouth and circled it with his tongue.

“Christ,” Duke whispered as his head fell back and his eyes fluttered closed. “I wanna touch you.”

Nathan felt Duke’s knuckles graze against his belly. The fly of his jeans loosened and then Duke’s calloused hand was on him, encircling his cock. Nathan moaned. He kept licking into Duke’s mouth, tasting him, listening to his harsh breathing.

“Where’s that oil?” Duke asked in a rough voice.

As Duke reached for the vial of scented oil, Nathan unfastened Duke’s jeans. Reaching in, he took out Duke’s hard cock. It was hot and heavy in his palm. With a slight shift of his own hips, Nathan lined them up.

Duke poured oil into one palm. The spicy scent filled the air around them and Nathan inhaled deeply. He moaned as he watched Duke smooth the oil onto both of their cocks. He shivered at the feel of Duke’s tight grip when he began to stroke them both.

The oil glistened on the reddened flesh of their erections as Duke’s fist slid easily along them. Duke groaned and flexed his hips and it made his cock drag along the length of Nathan’s. He could smell the oil. He watched as the crowns of their erections bump against each other, hissing at the sudden jolt of sensation it caused.

Nathan reached for the oil and poured some into his own palm. He held Duke’s length in his hand, enjoying the feel of the weight and the hardness. Nathan liked knowing it was his own slick hand that was dragging those deep, guttural moans from Duke.

Duke had both hands on Nathan now. He was rapidly stroking Nathan’s cock while he cradled his ball sac. It had always felt so good when Duke had done that to him. That had never changed.

“That’s good; like that,” Nathan whispered hoarsely when the pressure began to build low in his belly.

Duke’s hands stayed steady on Nathan’s body. Nathan watched those long fingers stroke and cradle him as the pressure built and grew. It spread out into his pelvis and rolled through his cock.

“I can feel your dick twitch, Nathan,” Duke gasped. “You’re close, aren’t you?”

“Fuck yeah,” Nathan breathed against Duke’s collarbone. He flexed his hips and pushed himself against Duke’s fist.

Something inside of Nathan felt like it was fighting to get out. The pressure in his hips, cock and balls was almost unbearable now. The rhythm of his hips faltered even as the speed of Duke’s hand increased.

“Come on, Nathan,” Duke murmured against Nathan’s ear. “Come for me.”

Intense pleasure consumed Nathan. He squeezed his eyes shut and watched the light show dance across the backs of his lids. He moaned loudly against Duke’s throat. The pressure pushed its way out of Nathan’s cock. He gasped, opened his eyes, and watched himself spill over Duke’s fist.

When the muscles in Nathan’s body unlocked, he slumped against the shelf behind him. He sucked in harsh, shuddering breaths, willing his legs to keep holding him up. He pressed his forehead to Duke’s neck and struggled to focus on his hand, still wrapped around Duke’s cock.

“Are you close?” he gasped, wanting to bring Duke the same pleasure he’d brought to Nathan.

“Yeah,” Duke groaned. “Squeeze tight … yeah, like that … just let me …”

Nathan watched Duke fuck himself in and out of his fist. He watched the rapid rhythm falter at the same time he heard Duke’s breath catch. He watched the translucent ropes of come coat his fist, feeling the hot stickiness of it.

When Duke stopped moving, he leaned heavily against Nathan. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We made a fucking mess,” he said with a giddy-sounding laugh.

Nathan chuckled in response.

Duke stepped away and retrieved a towel. He wiped his hand clean and reached for Nathan’s hand. He cleaned off the drying come and tossed the soiled towel across the room.

Their breathing steadied and the quiet stretched on. Nathan didn’t know where to look or what to say. He figured it might be a good idea to get himself back into jeans.

Duke seemed to have the same idea.

“So,” Nathan said, when he had his jeans buttoned up again.

“Nathan.”

His head snapped up at the firm tone of Duke’s voice. Nathan met his eyes before he could consider how bad an idea it might be. He waited to hear what Duke had to say.

Duke didn’t speak. Instead, he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to Nathan’s. When he pulled back, Nathan felt his entire body relax.

“So. Fishing next Tuesday?” The corners of Duke’s mouth teased up in a smile.

“Yeah. Fishing next Tuesday,” Nathan agreed.

~*~

It was still dark when they cast off, the sky just beginning to lighten. Duke and Nathan were both bundled up against the cold, drinking coffee in the wheelhouse. Duke steered them out into the open ocean as the sun continued to rise.

“Where are we headed?” Nathan asked, watching the eastern sky grow steadily lighter.

“First thing, we’re meeting up with Old Sal on the bait boat,” answered Duke.

For as long as anyone in Haven could remember, Old Sal had spent his nights catching squid, sardine and mackerel to sell to the local fisherman as bait. Nathan never liked Old Sal, there was something shifty about him. There were also rumors. Old Sal lived better than bait-catching should allow, there was just never proof of anything illegal.

Nathan preferred not to deal with Old Sal, but he had no desire to spend all night catching fresh bait, and no self-respecting fisherman used frozen.

“’Morning, Nathan,” greeted Old Sal as Duke steered the _Cape Rouge_ alongside the bait boat.

“’Morning, Sal,” Nathan replied grudgingly.

“Good day for fishing. No moon last night.”

No moon meant a dark ocean, making it difficult for the predator fish to see their prey. Once the sun rises and they can see the bait on the line, they start hitting.

Duke emerged from the wheelhouse. “Sal, my friend, how are you this fine morning.”

Nathan didn’t hear the response since he moved to the far side of the deck. He watched Duke take the lids off of the small bait tanks. Sal emptied several scoop-nets full of bait into each one.

Duke paid Sal with the cash they’d pooled and went back into the wheelhouse. Nathan retrieved the rods and reels from where he knew Duke stored them and began to set up various positions along the rail.

The sun had fully risen but was still low on the horizon when they dropped bait in a trench they’d always had good fishing in back in high school. By mid-morning, the catch-cooler was well stocked with their bounty.

“You got lucky!” Duke shouted from where he was reclined in his deck chair, booted feet propped on the rail. “You got lucky _one time_.”

“I was not lucky,” Nathan protested, sprawled in his own deck chair. They both had their lines in the water. “I hit the cut off and he threw the runner out at home.”

“Nathan, you threw like a girl,” Duke was incredulous. “You _still_ throw like a girl. You did not hit the cut off.”

“We made the out and won the game. How do you explain that?” he demanded.

“You shut your eyes and chucked the ball from left field. When it bounced, it hit a rock and took a hop toward second base.”

“That is _not_ what happened.” Nathan protested. They both knew Duke was right but the fun was in the argument.

“The ball hit a rock, Nathan. You got lucky cause the ball hopped toward second base where the short stop managed to catch it and throw the runner out at home.”

“That’s not how it happened,” Nathan gasped through his laughter.

Duke was laughing so hard now, he couldn’t talk. They were both laughing so loud, Nathan didn’t hear the engines of the Coast Guard cutter until it heaved-to alongside them.

“Ahoy, _Cape Rouge_ , this is the Coast Guard cutter, _Chastain_ ,” a disembodied voice boomed across the water. The deck was filled with armed Guardsmen. “Prepare to be boarded.”

Nathan set his rod in a holder and got to his feet, vaguely aware of Duke doing the same.

“What the hell did you do, Crocker?” Nathan demanded, anger surging through him.

“Nothing.”

“The Coast Guard doesn’t just randomly board fishing boats,” Nathan snapped.

“Honest, Nathan,” Duke held out his hands in supplication. “I have no idea what they want.”

Nathan’s anger turned to rage as he realized Duke hadn’t wanted a friendly day of fishing. He hadn’t wanted to reconnect with an old friend. He’d wanted a shield. Duke had used him. Again.

As the Coast Guard boarded the boat, a Seaman herded Duke and Nathan toward the bow. “Gentlemen; identification, please.”

Several other Guardsmen moved to take up positions all over the boat. Duke produced his driver’s license and Nathan handed over his badge and ID. The Seaman examined it closely, giving Nathan several hard, appraising looks.

“Senior Chief,” the Seaman called over his shoulder. “I’ve got a LEO here.”

A female Senior Chief Petty Officer approached and took their identification from the Seaman.

“Officer Wournos,” she greeted, extending her hand. “Senior Chief Petty Officer Christine White.”

Nathan shook her hand, appreciating her firm grip. “Can I ask what this is about, Senior Chief?”

“Seeing as you’re from Haven, you’re familiar with Sal Gilead?” she asked.

Nathan’s stomach plummeted. “Sal’s one of our shadier residents,” he replied. “He doesn’t cause too much trouble around town and we’ve never been able to prove he’s up to anything illegal.”

“Mr. Gilead is under suspicion of smuggling.” White handed back their identification. “We’ve had him under surveillance. An illegal package known to have been in his possession has gone missing. As he hasn’t been ashore since taking possession of the package, that means he handed it off to one of the boats that supposedly purchased bait from him this morning.”

Nathan shook his head in understanding, battling the urge to kill Duke. “So, you’re searching all the boats that had contact with Sal this morning.”

“That’s correct. I apologize for interrupting your fishing. Had much success?”

“It’s been a good day, yes.” Nathan indicated the cooler that held their catch.

The Seaman opened the lid and White whistled appreciatively. “I trust they all meet the size minimum and you’re not over limit?” White’s smile indicated her jest.

“Absolutely, Senior Chief.” Nathan allowed himself a small grin.

The Guardsmen were almost all back in the Zodiac. White stepped to the rail. “Again, I apologize for interrupting your day, but thank you for your cooperation.”

Like the well trained crew they obviously were, the Coast Guardsmen were all back aboard their cutter in a matter of minutes. Nathan gave a brief wave as they steamed away.

“Well, I think that went pretty well,” Duke said from behind him. “Don’t you?”

Nathan clenched his jaw as betrayal rolled through him painfully. Some things never changed. Some _people_ never changed. Slowly, Nathan turned toward Duke, appalled to see his wide grin.

He wiped the grin from Duke’s face with a well placed fist to his jaw. “You bastard!” The force of the blow shot up his arm and reverberated through his shoulder.

“What?” Duke demanded, dabbing at his bloody lip with the back of his hand.

“You used me. A day of friendly fishing? Old friends reconnecting?” Nathan slammed both hands into Duke’s chest and shoved hard. “You wanted me on board as a shield in case this very thing happened.”

Duke staggered backward. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

This time Nathan’s fist connected hard with Duke’s chin. He could practically feel the skin on his knuckles split. “Where is it?”

“Where is what?”

Nathan lifted his fist again and Duke took several steps back. “Stop treating me like an idiot.” He wanted Duke to keep denying it. Nathan wanted to be wrong.

Duke’s expression hardened. He swiped the back of his hand over his bloody mouth. “Fine,” he said on a heavy sigh.

Nathan watched Duke stalk to the bait tanks. He pulled off the lid of the tank containing the sardines and submerged a basket-net inside. Reaching in amongst the squirming fish, Duke withdrew a large box.

Snorting with derision, Nathan shook his head. “Sal dumped it into the tank right along with all the bait.”

“Yep.”

“You lying son-of-a-bitch.” Nathan kept his voice low so Duke couldn’t hear the way it shook with rage.

“When did I lie?”

“When you said we were going fishing.”

“We _are_ fishing.”

“That’s just a cover for your smuggling. You used me.”

“We were fishing. We were having fun …”

“You only wanted me here as a smokescreen in case you got boarded.”

“No …”

“Stop it! Just stop lying.”

“I really wanted to go fishing with you, Nathan.”

“Shut up, already. What the hell’s even in that box?”

“Do you want me to shut up or tell you …”

“What the hell is in the box?” Nathan shouted.

“It doesn’t matter,” Duke yelled back, face flushed with anger.

“You at least owe it to me to tell me what the hell you’re smuggling.”

“Is knowing really gonna make a difference at this point?”

Nathan swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat. “You’re right. It doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. I just can’t believe I let myself fall for your line of bullshit again.”

“It wasn’t a line of bullshit. Why can’t you understand I really did just want to spend the day with you? My business with Sal had nothing to do with that.” Duke was trying to look sincere now; messing with Nathan the same way he always did.

Nathan hardened himself to Duke’s imploring expression. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was the fact you snuck contraband onto the boat you knew the Coast Guard might come looking for. You didn’t want me, you just wanted my badge.” As the words left his mouth, he realized just how much he meant them.

“Why do you always have to be so self-righteous and stubborn?”

Nathan wasn’t going to let Duke play the injured party this time. He needed to lash out. “Because you’re a lying, manipulative criminal.” He wanted Duke to hurt as much as he did.

“I just can’t win with you.”

“You’ve never really tried, have you?”

“Is there anyone who can live up to your impossible standards, Nathan?”

“You’re the only one who finds them impossible.” Except when Nathan was stupid enough to let his guard down again and foolishly think Duke might have changed.

“How ‘bout the Chief, Nathan? Your own father isn’t even good enough for you.”

Nathan saw red as he launched himself at Duke. He buried his shoulder in Duke’s gut and propelled him to the deck. Duke grunted loudly with the force of their fall. Nathan sat up, straddling Duke’s body and landed a punch on his cheekbone.

He knew his knuckles were shredded, but his hand was numb. Nathan curled his other hand into a fist and drove it into Duke’s jaw.

Duke rallied and managed to shove Nathan off of him. Nathan was scrambling to his feet when his head snapped backward with the force of Duke’s blow. It knocked him off balance slightly and he ended up on his knees.

There was no pain. Nathan had moved past the pain. His rage had numbed him.

The battle spanned the length of the deck of the _Cape Rouge_. They battled for more than an hour. They threw chairs and fishing gear at one another, in between fists, elbows and knees. Duke was black and blue and bloody. His lips were split and puffy and one eye was swollen nearly shut.

Nathan knew he looked just as bad, but he couldn’t feel any of it.

Duke was obviously in a great deal of pain now and Nathan silently celebrated. He wanted Duke to share his agony. Nathan landed a knee to the side of Duke’s head. Duke was slow to rise to his knees.

“Enough, Nathan,” Duke gasped, blood spilling from his split lips.

Nathan spat blood onto the deck. He checked to see if any of his teeth were loose. They didn’t seem to be. There was that, at least. He suddenly realized he was very, very tired. He sat down on the deck, his back pressed against a ladder. If he could feel anything, it would be uncomfortable.

Duke collapsed down onto his back. His chest heaved with each harsh breath.

“You need to take us back to shore,” Nathan called, proud at how steady his voice sounded. “Now.” He fisted his hands, ignoring how badly they shook; how badly they were bruised.

“In a minute. Let me catch my breath.” Duke’s words slurred slightly, as if his injured mouth made it difficult to talk.

That thought filled Nathan with a dark sense of triumph. For several long minutes, they sat in silence. Nathan listed to the sound of waves slapping against the hull of the boat.

Something wasn’t right. Nathan could feel his adrenaline waning. Pain should be setting in. He flexed his hands but couldn’t feel the abrasions. He ran his tongue over his split lower lip and felt no eye-watering sting like he should. Nathan prodded at his eye that was rapidly swelling shut and it was like he was poking at someone else’s face.

He climbed slowly to his feet, dread forming an icy knot in his gut. Nathan lifted his shirt and pushed his fingertips into his bruised ribs. His mind screamed denials at him even as he realized pain wasn’t the only thing he couldn’t feel. Nathan couldn’t feel his fingertips on his skin or his skin beneath his fingers.

He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. His Trouble had returned. Nathan was cursed.

And it was all Duke’s fault.

“You bastard,” Nathan said through his clenched teeth.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, we’ve covered this already.” Duke’s tone was irritated and it pissed Nathan off.

“You bastard,” he roared, picking up an overturned chair and slinging it in Duke’s direction.

Duke barely scrambled out of the way in time. “What now?” he demanded angrily.

“You did this to me.” Nathan charged across the deck and into Duke’s space. “You brought back this damn curse.”

“Melodramatic much, Nathan?” Duke snapped, not backing down. “I gotta tell ya, this ‘let’s blame Duke for everything’ is getting really old.”

“It _is_ your fault! I can’t feel anything again and it’s your fault.”

Duke paled and took several steps backward. His mouth hung open in shock. “You mean … like you used to … you can’t feel … anything?”

Nathan liked it better when Duke was angry and fighting back. “I stepped on this boat this morning perfectly fine. I get into a fight with you and suddenly I’m Troubled again. You did this to me.”

“How is this my fault?”

Nathan laughed mirthlessly. “Have you been paying attention?”

Duke threw up his hands and stepped out of Nathan’s space. He started to pace the deck. “Fine. Blame me. It’s all my fault. Everything bad that has ever happened since the beginning of time is my fault. Fine. Whatever.”

Nathan was suddenly exhausted. He righted a chair and sat down heavily. He had no idea what he was going to do. Who could he tell? Who could possibly help him?

“Remember when you asked why we always end up right back in the same place, over and over again?” Duke asked, sounding as weary as Nathan felt.

“That was when you had the brilliant idea to go fishing.”

“You can’t let the past go,” Duke said accusingly. “It never once occurred to you that I might not be who the Coast Guard was looking for.”

“You _are_ who the Coast Guard is looking for,” Nathan growled, amazed that Duke was hanging onto his righteous anger to the bitter end.

“Doesn’t matter. Even if I wasn’t, you wouldn’t believe me. I can’t win with you Nathan. I never could. I never will.” Finally, there was a note of defeat in Duke’s voice. “And especially not now that you blame me for your affliction coming back.”

Nathan’s victory felt hollow. He didn’t want to think he’d also heard disappointment and sadness in Duke’s tone. What did Duke have to be sad about? He wasn’t Troubled.

“At least we agree on something.” He pulled himself slowly to his feet. “Now take me back to shore.”

As soon as the _Cape Rouge_ was close enough to land, Nathan leapt onto the dock. He vowed to himself that the next time he set foot on that boat; it would be to arrest Duke Crocker, and he’d make sure the charges would finally stick.

**Author's Note:**

> All artwork is by Ladytiferet. Credit if you use.
> 
>   
> [   
> ](http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/kahtyasofia/Haven/?action=view&current=StoryBanner.jpg)
> 
> [](http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/kahtyasofia/Haven/?action=view&current=Storyicon1.jpg) [](http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/kahtyasofia/Haven/?action=view&current=StoryIcon2.jpg)


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